The Gathering Starlight
by Callisto Star
Summary: With the War of the Ring drawing near, Sauron seeks the nine fabled starseeds that would give him the power to dominate Middle Earth, with or without the Ring. LotRSM True to Tolkien! READ AND REVIEW!
1. The Triumph of Chaos

AN: I know I'm getting into a bad habit, but I could not stop myself from starting this fic. Too many good ideas just blossomed onto paper.

The beginning will "mirror" another new story, my long-awaited HP/SM crossover called "Spellbound". Actually, it's more of an Alice in Wonderland "looking glass" effect- the same sheet of glass separating two very different realities. In other words, the event that occurs in the beginning of this fic has two possible endings: one, resulting with Cosmos being last and sending herself with the senshi's starseeds to the HP world, or two, beginning with Chaos conquering... this fic. 

I own nothing but my own ideas. Inspiration is from Greek mythology and English class (Bryant and Emerson, etc). "..." is talking, '...' is thought, [...] is AN or definition, (...) is extra info but part of the fic, ... means trailed off, -- means interrupted. Enjoy.

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Nothingness. There was nothing left. No stars, No planets, No mountains, No oceans, No animals, No trees, No people, No molecules, No galaxies, No atoms.

Nothing.

Chaos cracked an ironic smile.

_Kaos_. The first, before Time began, when all was disorder and madness, long before that baka Balance was forged. And now the last. (1)

Chaos drew a shuddering breath from the empty air of the dead Universe. Around him lay the remains of the Battle. Her senshi--the annoying yet loyal women that he despised so much--were gone. Their bodies were completely obliterated. Only their starseeds remained, glimmering dully in the emptiness. These powerful crystals that he'd desired for ages, now finally his. He smiled painfully in irony. Funny the way those Fates work.

She was there, too. Her silver fuku was blood-stained, and her body hung limply in the empty space. Her eyes were blank, but she was still breathing... barely. She had only a few minutes left, if even. Then the agony would be over and Chaos would be free to die in peace.

Yes, die. After the millions of years of battles, wanderings, and skirmishes, Cosmos and Chaos had finally reached their Final Battle-- the Battle that would chose between the Darkness and the Light, Good and Evil, Order and Disorder, Cosmos and Chaos. (2)

Chaos doubted the Fates had intended this Battle to be the Universe's death wish. But after endless lonely years of pain and rebirth and suffering, after he destroyed all her senshi once again, she could take no more. With a mighty cry of pain, she recklessly lashed out everything at him. And in response, he defended himself with his own great power, exactly equal to that of Cosmos.

But the great power exerted, along with the extreme tippings of the Balance were too much for the Universe. With the final onslaught, the burst of power destroyed everything from the tiniest microorganism to the mightiest cluster of galaxies. And with nothing left, the Universe died.

But without a Universe, there can be no Cosmos or Chaos, the Keepers of the Balance. The Balance was toppled and all became nothing.

Cosmos drew a last shuddering breath, then her body went completely still. Slowly, her atoms dissolved and her being faded, leaving only her unprotected starseed.

Even with his end so near, Chaos' eyes lit up. Here was the jewel of all his struggles, his greatest desire. Had he not known better, he would have thought it truly a star, it shone so brightly. Its core was silver-white but the light emitted was of every color imaginable, simultaneously. Greedily, Chaos called all of the nine starseeds to his being. 

'I hold the fruit of all my labors,' he thought ironically, 'as my life slips away.'

For he knew that without Cosmos, he could not exist. He knew that he needed her to counter his power, just as she needed him. For darkness is merely an absence of light; evil, an absence of goodness. [AN: And also, a bagel hole is merely an absence of bagel.] And Chaos was the absence of Cosmos.

"I will not let my sacrifices be in vain!" he declared desperately, as he felt his life ebbing. Hastily, he gathered all the power he could amass and directed it towards the starseeds. "Banish them!" he cried. "Send them to the Chaos of another world, that he might use them to their true potential. He will become great and mighty and accomplish all I had hoped with such power!" With that, he flung open the door to the nearest dimension and cast the crystals inside. They disappeared in a twinkling. Then, his being spent, Chaos-24613 died.

And Dimension-6732 was no more.

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(1) Mythology began with chaos, or Kaos in Greek. Disorder. Nothingness. And from this came order, Kosmos- the universe and all things. That's basically what I'm alluding to.

(2) For more of this 'Final Battle' between Dark and Light, read The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper.

AN: Hmm... did I put too much of my philosophical stuff in? Does it make sense? If you have any questions about it, please feel free to ask and I'll do my best to explain. There's just a lot of deep stuff I'm trying to allude to or bring out, but it's not always so obvious (and often doesn't make sense ^_^'). And I know it is not exactly like the actual anime with the starseeds, but oh well, this is author's privilege.

Why did Chaos not go to a new dimension himself? Well, for one thing he was dying and didn't have the strength to send an entire being. But the starseeds hold the powers and magics of the senshi (kinda, in my view, like their bodiless soul). He knows that there are millions of other Chaoses in the other worlds, so in a way he sent this gift of power (the starseeds) to another world for himself. This other Chaos will try to gather and control the crystals to become invincible.

Make sense? Please review and let me know what you think!!! I have so much planned for this, and I guarantee it will be far from your normal SM/LotR fic. _Hennaid, mellonae. Namarie!_

~Calli-chan

Suggest pairings if you would like. There are *certain* people who are taken because it really works best with the plot, but I am open to ideas. Thanks again! Ja! 


	2. The Sprite of the Snow

AN: Thank you everyone for all those wonderful reviews!!! And so many pairing suggestions!!! WOW!!!!!! Domo arigato, _Hennaid, Diole lle_!!!!! Review Responses are at the bottom.

But before I begin, I figured I should clarify the *certain* people (as Loopy Lu put it ;). Firstly, Aragorn and Arwen will not be broken up. Sorry A/OC fans, but it's just too perfect. I have always admired the courage those two have to stand together against the differences of their two races... and I could never bear to end that. Also, this will not be a Legolas/Usagi fic. Sorry, gals, but for what I have planned it just wouldn't work. Legolas will be paired, and thanks to the wonderful reviews I'm debating between whether it will be with Ami or Makoto. Feel free to vote. 

Setsuna will also be paired, but her guy is a surprise (besides, only the Silmarillion fans know him ::wink::). It's Usagi that's giving me the most trouble. I know almost everyone wants to see her with *someone*, but as of now no one is fitting with her in my mind. Honestly, the best pairing I can come up with for the way her character will be is with Sauron, but I already have a dark fic on the way that will be kinda like that. Help! Especially to the Silmarillion fans that know of all the powerful elves/maiar in Valinor. 

And to the joy of some, the annoyance of others, Legolas will be featured a lot in this chapter. That's just the way certain events had to happen. "..." is talking, '...' is thought (or is it? ;D), [...] is AN or elvish translation, (...) is extra info but part of the fic, ... means trailed off, -- means interrupted. Enjoy! 

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"Alright, you dratted beast," muttered the woodland archer as he searched between the trees, his bow taunt. "Where have you got to now...?"

"Cuthalion!" called a voice as another elf came running towards him waving.

Cuthalion cursed under his breath but waited and stood attentive as his prince ran towards him.

"Cuthalion, why are you so far from the post?" asked the elvish prince.

Cuthalion silently cursed again. "Bad news, Legolas," he said out loud. "The beast managed to escape during my watch."

"Again?" said Legolas with exasperation.

"Yep," sighed Cuthalion. "That creature is more trouble than it's worth."

"We've got to track him down," said Legolas. "Which way did he go?"

"This way." They took off at a steady jog southward, their eyes and ears constantly attentive for any strange movements.

"He can't have gone far," said Cuthalion while they ran. "He must have previously loosened his bonds because it only took him a minute, while I was mending my bow, to disappear. Yet I was able to track his fresh prints until just before you found me. Judging by these broken twigs and leaves, I suspect that he took to the trees."

"Wait!" cried Legolas suddenly. "There!" He gestured to the lower branches of a sapling not ten meters away. Suddenly, the wretched creature Gollum appeared and leapt from the branches to another tree.

"He won't get away this time!" said Cuthalion, his bow already taunt. He let the arrow fly.

"No, Cuthalion!" cried Legolas desperately.

But it was too late. Cuthalion wasn't named 'strong bow' for nothing. His arrow found its mark, right in the heart of the beastly creature. Gollum fell from the tree and collapsed on the forest floor, where he moved no more.

With a cry, Legolas ran forward to check the creature's non-existent heartbeat.

"This beast was of great importance to Lord Elrond and Mithrandir! Mithrandir entrusted us to guard it, foul as it may be! And now we have broken his trust, and we ourselves have killed the creature!"

"It is no great loss," said Cuthalion with a shrug.

"Not to us, no," agreed Legolas. "But it may be that there was more to this creature than we know."

Cuthalion was silent.

"I must go to Imladris," [Rivendell] resolved Legolas. "I must tell Lord Elrond what has happened."

With that, he took off at a run back to the palace, never guessing how the fate of their hope hinged on that one creature. Never guessing how that one simple arrow could doom Middle Earth to slavery and darkness.

~*~*~*~*~

The snow swirled angrily around them, and the endless blinding whiteness of Caradhras surrounded them. They seemed to be in a world of only wind and snow, cold and death. There could be no life here.

Legolas shielded his eyes and struggled to hear beyond the howling wind as the others struggled through the drifts. With a gasp, he cried out. "There is a fell voice on the air!"

"It is Saruman!!" cried Gandalf as rocks fell angrily from above. The company quickly moved against the rockface, where they were safe from the falling debris... for the time being.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" urged Aragorn.

"No!" cried Gandalf, refusing to submit to his archrival. Gathering his power, he began to chant in elvish, urging the mountain to calm down and return to sleep. _"Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!"_

But Legolas could hear the voice rising, crying out even mightier than before. And as he strained his ears, he could have sworn he heard something else. A soft gentler voice, hidden beyond the loud angry one...

With a great crack, a bolt of lightning caused a might avalanche to tumble down. Helpless and with no where to run, the company was overwhelmed in a cascade of snow. Buried alive in a cold icy tomb.

Overcome by the cold, even Legolas' light heart began to despair. With a struggle, he was the first to break the surface while the other remained entombed.

And then he saw her. That strange girl, just standing there on the edge of the deadly cliff. What was a girl doing *here*? Legolas worried. With her indecently short blue skirt, she must be frozen. Legolas wondered if she was even still alive as he struggled to free the rest of his body and help her.

Her skin was paler than the snow that swirled around them; her short hair was midnight blue. Her face- sorrowful yet compassionate. And her eyes... there were no words to describe them. Even from a distance, they shown with an immeasurable depth of wisdom that even the elf failed to fathom.

The others were breaking through. Legolas was relieved to see that they had not surrendered to the icy fate. Turning back to the cliff, he gasped in shock. Only icy snow swirled in the space the girl had stood not a moment before.

~*~*~*~*~

"My liege," hissed the Witchking of the Nazgul as he bowed before the throne of his master in Barad-dur.

"Where is the next crystal?" growled the deadly voice from the throne.

The Witchking almost trembled. "My Lord," he hissed, "we are searching tirelessly. With even the slightest hint, the smallest rumor, we ride to the area and turn it upside-down to find anything. Nothing can pass our thorough inspection and destruction. But most prove to be simply empty rumors--"

"I am sick of your people's excuses," growled the Dark Lord. "Three thousand years! It has been three thousand years since you last found a new crystal, and I am tired of this lack of results!"

"My Lord!" interrupted the Ringwraith. "You must not forget the Seed of Darkness!"

"Ah yes," said Sauron with a mocking smirk. "It has been fifty years since you brought me the Seed of Darkness. (1) You did well, and with its power I was able to slowly grow to power and darken Dol Guldur and Mirkwood. But we must also not forget that the Seed of Darkness was with us in the beginning, and it was the careless errors of your riders that caused it to fall into the hands of those elves!"

"My Lord!" cried the Nazgul desperately. "My Lord, it will not be long now. We have learned that a fifth crystal is named the Seed of the Skies, and we believe it to be guarded by the Eagles. Their nests and breeding grounds will be searched, of course, but rather we believe it is being carried by one of the Eagle Lords. It will difficult to pinpoint this eagle and shoot him down... but we will destroy all the eagles, if we must, to gain this new crystal," he finished hastily, noticing Sauron's menacing expression.

The Dark Lord smirked. "I am glad that you are finally seeing it my way. You will bring me these last four crystals, and finally I will be able to summon the all-powerful ninth crystal, bestowing upon me the power to dominate all of Arda and Valinor and beyond! I will regain the Ring, and none will stand in my way! I will free my master from the Void, though no longer will he be master and I, servant. All the worlds will be at my feet and all shall be enslaved in my darkness!" He cackled madly. "And I will personally see to it that the witch, Galadriel, is fed to my arachnid pet. I'm sure Shelob would delight in such a feast!

He cackled again, laughing insanely, as the Witchking fled to begin the search for the seed of the Eagles and fulfill his evil dream.

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(1) Thank you so much, **Kelly Le**, for the emails and the suggestion for the title. Your suggestion, "Seeds of Power", inspired me to call the starseeds "Seeds of ____". _Hennaid, mellon!_

AN: And now, for REVIEW RESPONSES:

**Trunks' and Legolas' dream maiden**- Thanks for the review! I'm sorry though, but I'm a stout A/A supporter. I mean, Viggo is amazing, but Tolkien worked so hard to create their tragic love.

**Loopy Lu**- ::cowers:: Meep. And Agent Smelrond!!!! Yes, he really is the evil one! LOL!!!

**SilverRose82**- Well... as you will see, it won't really be a matter of races. ::struggles to explain without spoiling but fails miserably:: Ack! Hopefully this chap made it make a bit more sense. Thanks!

**Andtauriel Longwood Baggins**- Mako/Leggy is making more and more sense. I'm wondering why I didn't see it before! 

**DragonStar**- I think you will be pleased with this chapter, then! In actuality, Usagi will be the last senshi to appear. (And she's also the one who I have no idea who/if she will be paired!)

**Sunshine Fia**- Oh! Gomen nasi for the confusion! And as for Sauron... basically the starseeds entered the LotR realm at the beginning of Time in their world. So the starseeds have always been there. Hopefully I'll weave it in later, but there was a prophecy made ages ago concerning these "Seeds of Power".

**Chibi-Cola** - yeah, I agree. Though I adore Legolas, there's just too many U/L fics. Honestly, there's so much more you can do, so much more that creativity can open up if you don't start a fic based on a pairing. Start with your ideas and see how the characters interact. Or at least that's my view.

**Burning Shaedows** - wow!!! Those are some really interesting suggestions! Cosmos/Chaos would make a *very* interesting fic... I'm going to have to ponder this for awhile. Honestly, Usagi is the one who I am most clueless about right now for a pairing. ^_^"

**SilverStarlightAngel **- Yet another supporter of Cosmos/Chaos, huh? ^_^" Interesting... perhaps I'll have to play with this idea and see how it turns out. And the twins will be making an appearance later, though I'm not positive whether or not they will be paired off. And never fear!!! I have someone special in mind for Setsuna, someone who was 'lost' as you put it.... mwhahaha!!! Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions!

Thank you also to:

**Light Heart**

**JaminJellyBean**

**Kiwi**

**Maarja**

**Serenity Silvermoon**

**Makoto Silvermoon**

**Eyes-of-Pearl**

**Blood Rose077**

Also, please check out my original LotR/SM fic, "Niirer en Ithil'Quessir" (Tears of a Moon Elf). It's basically the epic tale (and will be as long as an epic! ^_^") of the first life of the golden soul of Cosmos (before the Silver Millennium) and how her vulnerability made her a key player in the fate of Middle Earth. I guarantee you, it will not be your standard LotR/SM fic. No joining the Fellowship, no senshi taking the Ring on themselves, etc. It is tragic and bittersweet, but it will have a rather happy ending (I admit, I've had the plot for the whole fic and even some for a sequel laid out for months ^_^"). And diehard Tolkien fans will love it!

(Word is screwing up the web address but the storyid=731451).

Please read it! Thank you minna-chan! 

Thank you everyone for reading! What do you think about the pairings now that you have a hint what the senshi will be like? Please review! _Hennaid! Namarie, mellonae._

~Calli-chan


	3. The Vision of the Future

AN: Ohayo minna-chan! Happy lack-of-summer. ::grumbles::

Before we begin, I'd like to declare that I have finalized the pairing of Ami/Legolas. ::many cheers with some groans:: (I'm thinking Makoto and Minako might take the twins, Elladan and Elrohir). Still not sure about Usagi, but I am leaning more and more towards not pairing her and having her linger with the memory of Endymion, maybe bringing him back in the end. Other than that, I'd probably have to be Usa/Glorfindel or something. Hmm... I dunno.

And a note about the senshi and their starseeds. I know I wasn't very clear last time, but basically there are no senshi right now. They died, but their spirits are connected to their starseeds, so sometimes they can take a form. But it is like a ghost form- they can be seen, but can't really do anything expect be seen. Not until they are all together and can draw power from each other will they be able to take an earthly form.

Thank you for reading and please review! Reponses from last time at the bottom. _Hennaid!_ "..." is talking, '...' is thought, [...] is AN or definition, (...) is extra info but part of the fic, ... means trailed off, -- means interrupted. Enjoy.

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Saruman looked down at the two perfect gems in his hand. So beautiful, so perfect, so powerful . . .

They had been a gift from Sauron when he had pledged his allegiance. First, the amber crystal, the one that glittered like sunlight and honey, the one that gave him power over men's hearts and hopes and dreams.

And then, only a few months ago, the blue crystal. Cold and icy and glittering like a mountain stream, it gave him power over the element of water and snow and ice. It was very convenient, with the Misty Mountains so near.

Sauron had never told what the precious gems truly were, but Saruman guessed easily enough. After all, he was a Maia, just like Sauron, and both had been in Valinor in the beginning and had heard of the nine crystals and the power they contained. Saruman never dared dream that he'd possess even one of the mighty crystals and now he held in his hand not one, but two...

Saruman cackled madly as he moved toward the door of his tower. He would use the Seed of the Heart today, convincing the Wild Men to join the White Hand of Isengard. The Seed of Ice would not be used, unless he needed to flee and hide his path, but he dared not leave it in the tower. The crystals had a holder, of course--a velvet-covered bowl near the palantir--but he feared that Wormtongue would return, and he never trusted that fiend. No, better to keep them close . . .

~*~*~*~*~*~

Fire. So much dark fire. The consuming fire of hopelessness and despair. The death of Light. The triumph of Chaos.

Galadriel clutched her heart as short breaths came in rapid succession, but she stared determinedly into the waters of the Mirror to see where this vision would lead.

Chains. Dark vile chains digging into the delicate flesh of the wrists, ankles, and necks of her people. Wails of anguish as they toiled in the depths of the earth, with fair faces blackened by soot, brimstone, and despair.

Herself, imprisoned for eternity with the vile daughter of Ungoliant, the monster-spider that fed off her very being and Light as Galadriel slowly wasted away but was never granted death. A rotting shell, she became, but a shell that was forced to linger for all eternity.

All this and more. The horrible warnings of the future came daily now. And all began with the same scene...

Frodo Baggins, the bearer of the One Ring, standing over the pits of the fiery Mount Doom. His sooty hand, holding out the Ring, but his soul consumed by its dark will. Frodo Baggins, possessed by the Ring and unable to destroy it. Frodo Baggins, nearly killing his loyal servant Samwise in his blindness and lust for the Ring. And the Ring itself, calling to its master, being reclaimed by Sauron, and Sauron using it to enslave and dominate all of Middle Earth, to find the last of the ancient mystical starseeds, and to summon the all-powerful ninth crystal that gave him the power to conquer Valinor and beyond!

Galadriel shut her eyes in horror. Was there nothing she could do? She knew from the beginning that the quest was doomed, but she had always clung to a sliver of hope . . . Should she resign herself and flee Middle Earth for the Blessed Realm?

No. Even there would not be safe for long. She had her duty in Middle Earth, and even in the face of hopelessness, she stay true to her duty and remain strong. She possessed the knowledge of the future, horrible as it seemed, and she must do everything in her power to prevent it.

She watched in her mind's eye as Gwaihir the Windlord (1) bore Gandalf to Lorien from Caradhras where he had laid like death after his battle with the balrog. She resolved herself to speak to the eagle lord to send out scouts to watch Mordor from the air, in order to learn more of Sauron's plans and how much time they had left...

~*~*~*~*~*~

Frodo forced himself to struggle on, one step at a time, though with each step, hope ebbed away.

Days. How many days had they been wandering the this treacherous maze of Emyn Muil? Frodo had lost count, and the greyness of dawn offered no hope for a new beginning. They tried to struggle on in the direction of the fiery sky, but often the rocks blocked their view, and they would spend hours going in the same circles. Rain had come and gone, leaving slippery rocks and many potentially deadly falls. Both he and Sam were bruised and sore, and day by day the weight of the Ring grew heavier.

And they were tired, oh so tired. Frodo wondered how he even thought he could do this himself. Even with the two of them, they were still only two small hobbits, innocent to the realities of the harsh world and only looking forward to another meal. How could they have ever dreamed of taking on this impossible task?

Frodo stopped walking and threw himself onto the ground. His eyes filled with the salty water of despair as Sam came back, wondering what was wrong.

Yet even as Frodo was about to throw in the towel, he raised his eyes to the jagged point of a cliff before him. And there his eyes met a strange sight.

He gasped and sat up, staring intensely at the apex of the rock. There stood a lone girl outlined in the grey light, seemingly clothed in darkness. She was balanced perfectly on the treacherous point of the rock and seemed oblivious to the deadly drop that awaited her if she made one wrong move.

In her hand she held a strange staff, seemingly topped with a sickle like Frodo had seem men use. Her short dark hair and indecently short skirt swayed with a strange wind as she turned towards them. 

And she smiled. It was not a smile of joy, nor a smile of jest, but a smile of hope and encouragement. Her strange dark eyes sparkled as she looked at them intently, and Frodo stood slowly as he felt energy returning to him.

She held his gaze for a few more moments, before turning with a smile and hopping to a nearby rock where she waited expectantly. "She means for us to follow her!" cried Frodo as he rushed forward.

"I don't know, Mr. Frodo..." said Sam doubtfully. "She's a strange one alright, and how do you know we can trust her."

"Have we got any choice, Sam? We've been getting nowhere in this maze for days if not weeks, and our food is running low. What choice have we got? And," said Frodo more slowly, "there's something strange I feel from this girl. She seems dark, but... innocent and good. I think we can trust her, Sam."

"I hope you're right, Mr. Frodo," muttered Sam as he followed his master.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Gandalf looked at Galadriel gravely. "So the fabled Seeds of Power are being gathered at last."

Galadriel was slightly surprised by this remark. "You expected this?"

Gandalf shrugged. "Such powerful crystals should not exist in this world. But as it is, they do exist and they have existed since the beginning of our time. We knew it was only a matter of time before the power-hungry Morgoth (2) or his followers searched for them. You may remember, ages ago, when he had gathered many of the crystals-- from the very depths of the sea to the airs of heaven and the fires of earth. But his downfall came before he could summon the ninth, and we were saved. The crystals were scattered once more, protected separately throughout Arda. Now the ages have passed and the Seeds were forgotten by all but the oldest of the Old and the wisest of the Wise. And Sauron has set his sights on them, focusing his energies on finding them all and reclaiming the Ring. And my heart tells me it will not be long now..."

Galadriel looked away, silent for a moment while the strange resignation in Gandalf's voice seemed to echo through the garden of Lorien. "Gwaihir agreed to send scouts to fly over Mordor, watching the movements of the Dark Lord's armies and seeking any hints as to how many Seeds he has gathered."

Gandalf nodded. "That is good, yes. But what will you do after you know?"

Galadriel paused uncertainly. "I suppose we would have to find the guardians of the remaining crystals and reinforce their protection..."

Gandalf was silent, but his eyes seemed to look to the distance, unseeing. "No," he said quietly, "I think we must gather the crystals ourselves."

Galdriel was shocked. "Mithrandir, do you realize what you're saying?! These crystals are deadly! If we gather them, and Sauron reclaims the Ring (as seems likely), he will find us with ease and take all the crystals and be invincible and unstoppable!!"

Gandalf was still silent, seeming to muse over something. "So it would seem," he said softly, "but I think there is something more. I think... I think that in essence, the crystals are good. Alone, their raw power can be manipulated to evil purposes. But together... I think they somehow protect each other, Galadriel. I think that their will to protect the ninth crystal sent it far beyond the reaches of Arda (3), unless all the others are together. There is a strange power there, a power of unity. I think Sauron will have a harder time than he thinks manipulating it to his will. And I think... I think they can help us."

Galadriel was silent with shock, scarcely daring to breath. "What do you propose we do?" she whispered. The idea seemed wild and incredible, but somehow it offered hope.

Gandalf was moving as he talked, hastily heading out of the gardens and towards the borders of Lorien. "Send message to Cirdan. Sauron will be looking towards the Grey Havens with a lustful eye for the Seed of the Seas. Cirdan will surrender to you the crystal that has protected the Havens for so long if he understands the dire need. I will travel to Fangorn and remeet my company and speak to Treebeard." With that, he let forth a strange whistle that abruptly changed to a low pitch as he called for his mighty stead. Shadowfax, looking magnificent like the beasts of old, ran into the clearing, and Gandalf sprang upon his back.

_"Vanya Sulie!"_ called Galadriel as they disappeared. [Fair Winds! (a farewell)]

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(1) For those of you who didn't know or forgot, Gwaihir was an eagle lord.

(2) Morgoth, meaning "Dark Enemy of the World", was originally called Melkor and was Sauron's master.

(3) Middle Earth

AN: Thus it begins. Sorry for the delay in posting. I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner, but now that school is starting, I'm not sure. And now, Review Reponses!

**CG Anna Marie**- ::blushes:: Thank you so much! I am really flattered by all your comments. And as for Cosmos/Chaos... I just mentioned it as a side note in the beginning, but I highly doubt it will happen. I'd have to give Chaos a body first, even if he's a shape-shifter, and develop his character apart from his evilness... yeah, I don't think its gonna happen

**Chibi-Cola**- yeah, I'm seriously considering bringing Glorfindel and the twins in. But the more I look at it, the more I think they should be paired with one of the senshi. But I must admit that Glorfindel is leading for the Usagi pairing. We shall see...

**Ki no Hana**- Lol, you'll have your wish with Ami. ::wink:: But I don't really consider this fic an AU. Yes, Gollum is dead and other matters are changed slightly, but it will lead on to a similar future. But then again, I suppose all cross-overs are really alternate universes... doesn't that almost define a crossover? But as for the starseeds themselves... as mentioned in this chapter, they can draw power from each other. Alone, I'd probably say that they are weaker than the three Rings because they only have strength over one element/area. But they are very powerful in that one area. All together though, with Usagi's crystal, they provide power in every area and are more powerful than the One Ring or really anything I can think of in Middle Earth. And the senshi themselves are merely spirits, attached to their starseeds but unable to take any real form yet.

**Aphrodite2**- Yeah, unless I get some strange crazy idea for a new subplot, Haruka and Michiru will be together.

**Andtauriel Longwood Baggins**- Lol! Yeah, Usagi/Sauron would be strange... unlikely that it will happen here though. And as for the AU... I suppose every crossover is an AU, but I don't really consider this what people have come to think as an alternate universe. The future is altered slightly, but in the end it will be similar to the way it was meant to be... call it Fate if you want. I will be writing a fic in the future, a dark SM/LotR AU where Middle Earth does fall to Sauron, but it won't be this one. ;) And good point about other characters outshining the canon... I'll be sure to keep that in mind, thanks!

**Loopy Lu**- Lol! Actually, the senshi right now are basically spirits or memories, attached to their starseeds but with no true form. And I suppose they would be human... or more correctly, Lunarian, Mercurian, Vesuvian, etc. And many of the senshi will be paired, but I'm not sure about Usagi... 

**Brightness**- Pluto/Leggy would be interesting, but I've got something else in mind. ::wink:: As for Cosmos and Endymion... yeah, I'm not sure. I doubt he'll enter the fic, but I might have her longing for him or something... hmmm.... 

**DragonStar**- ::wink:: A Rei fan, huh? Well... I have in mind a little short someone who has been falling into darkness and needs someone to light the way out. ::wink wink:: The only reason this would change is if I decide Hotaru should steal him instead. ;)

**solarmistress17**- By 'other fic' do you mean Niirer? Cause that was just updated at the end of August and will be updated again soon. Or do you mean Spellbound? Lol, I have too many. ^_^"

Thank you also to:

**Serenity Silvermoon**

**Tkiwi**

**M.J**

**Goddess of Wisdom**

**Moonprincess202**

**Shaiala Rialle**

**Skittles the Sugar Fairy**

**datajana**

**Jen**

Thank you for your continued dedication and please review. Ja minna-chan!

~Calli-chan

P.S. Here's another plea to read my other LotR/SM fic, "Niirer en Ithil'Quessir" (Tears of a Moon Elf; storyid=731451). Yes, it is 13 chapters long, and yes, at first glance it doesn't seem to be as different as this one. But it's the fic that I'm pouring my heart and soul into, my brainchild and, I admit, my favorite. I see it not so much as a fanfic, but as a novel or an epic, and it just... fits. I can't really describe it. But chapter 14 marks one of my favorite chapters when something big happens that changes everything. PLEASE READ!!! (gradually begins as Celebithil(Usagi)/Boromir. Hotaru will also have a big part and a pairing. The other senshi will be there (maybe with pairings), continuing to act like the senshi you love though they were born into a different world). THANK YOU!!!


	4. The Fall of the Skies

AN: It has been *far* too long, and this will unfortunately not be nearly long enough to compensate. How I wish I could simply sit and type and write, and forget about everything else going on.

No such luck unfortunately. So I send out my most sincere apologizes to all of you, especially those who have been waiting for months, but looking ahead I see now end to this ghastly tunnel yet. I will try, but I fear the lack of updates (for all my fics) might continue for some while.

On a brighter note: Return of the King. Was it not amazing? Saw it for the second time the other day... I love it more and more with each viewing. Yes, some parts disappointed me, but we can still hold out for the extended, ne? Overall, it was an *excellent* movie and I highly recommend going to see it if you haven't yet... though you should definitely read the book! :D

And now we have a fic to read. Review Responses at the bottom, as usual. For a quick recap: Last time Frodo and Sam saw Hotaru/Saturn (the Seed of Darkness) as they struggled through Emyn Muil and she guided them. Gandalf and Galadriel decided that the only way to stop Sauron from gaining conquest of the crystals was to gather them together themselves. And Gandalf asked Gwaihir and his eagles to watch over Mordor and the hobbits, acting kind of as aerial spies. Galadriel would send word (through Rivendell) to Cirdan, and Gandalf left to speak with Treebeard. Now, enter the twins and Glorfindel!! :D

*******************************************************************

With a stern eye to conceal his fatherly worry, Elrond surveyed his sons as the stood impatiently with their gear, eager to set out.

"And you understand the peril of this mission," Elrond said again. "It has been two days now since Galadriel sent word, but it may be that your mission will be part of one even more perilous than the Ring Bearer's. Are you sure you want to do this?"

_"Ada,_ we volunteered for this mission," said the ever impatient Elladan. "We're ready for some more adventure and a change of scenery from Imladris." [Rivendell]

Elrond glared at his headstrong son. "This is not a mere adventure or hunting escapade, Elladan!"

"We know this, _ada,"_ said the more soft-spoken (and wiser) Elrohir. "We're just ready to play our part in this War, and play it as well as we can. We will not let you, or Middle Earth, down, _ada."_

Elrond sighed. "Very well. The horses should be about ready by now. And remember, though you travel our ancient path to the Havens of the West, remember that you will be always under the Dark Lord's Eye. It may not be long until you encounter his servants, with the same mission as you."

The sound of hooves coming up the path from the stables signaled that their departure was near. Elrond embraced his twin sons as a golden-haired elf appeared leading three swift horses.

"They are ready, Glorfindel?" Elrond asked the golden-haired elf.

Glorfindel nodded. "They are ready and impatient. It is time that we were off." Glorfindel and the twins sprang lightly upon their steeds, without assistance of any saddle or harness.

"Ride swiftly and be wary," Elrond cautioned to the three. "Cirdan should surrender the Seed of the Seas to you once he understands the dire need. Guard it well. Do not let it near any servants of the Dark Lord. May Elbereth watch over you and bless your mission. _Vanya sulie!"_

_"Namarie, ada!"_ cried his sons as their horses sprang away. Glorfindel lingered for a moment.

Elrond looked sadly at the elf whom he'd come to think of as a brother, the elf whom he'd shared so much with. "Take care of them," he said softly.

Glorfindel reached down and clasped his arm tightly in a brotherly fashion. "We will return," he promised Elrond. _"Tenna'san', namarie!"_ [Until then, farewell!]

~*~*~*~*~

"Hoom, hrum. Now Gandalf, I told you I cannot do this."

"But Treebeard," cried the White Wizard, hurrying to keep up with the lengthy strides of the Ent as they walked quickly through Fangorn. "We *need* your help. Without it, we will be unable to form any resistance against Sauron. With all the others, nothing will stop him from claiming it from you. All of Arda and Valinor and beyond into the Void will fall under his dominion, covered with Darkness for all eternity. All good living things will be destroyed and all free peoples will be enslaved!"

"I am sorry, Gandalf, hmm. But *we* need the Seed of the Forest. The Darkness is growing in and around Fangorn, hmmm-- none can stop it. Only the Seed keeps it at bay, hm."

"Treebeard, are you mad?!" cried Gandalf angrily.

Treebeard stopped abruptly and turned to face the wizard, his deep green eyes burning. "Brrruak! You don't see it, do you Gandalf? The one time we lost the Seed, the one time He stole it from us... hrum, that is when the Forest began to fall. The Greenwood stretched across the entire land once, hm yes. But He took it from us, and the trees became weak, and the men became lusty for land, and the Entwives left for the last time..." Treebeard turned away sadly so that Gandalf could not see the tear that slid down his woody face.

"We have never recovered, no hmm," he continued after a moment. "The trees grow dark hearts and orcs and men continue to delve into our home and the Entwives are lost and the land is open and dead between here and the evil of Mirkwood. Dark are these days for trees, hrum. No Gandalf, hmm," he said, looked down at the wizard. "Forgive me for my haste, hoom hrum, but I cannot help you."

~*~*~*~*~*~

_"Kreee!"_

The piercing cry of the eagle echoed through the skies above Lorien. Galadriel looked up in horror as a single young eagle, his right wing bloody and limp, crashed to the ground near the gardens of Lorien. Her face blanched as she realized her fears and the warnings of the Mirror had become a reality. 

The best Healers of Lorien had been summoned, but the crowd continued to throng in curiosity and confusion. Galadriel hurriedly pushed her way through the people to kneel by the limp form in the center of the crowd.

"Fandil," she murmured, recognizing the young eagle. [AN: means 'Lover of the Clouds' if you care :D]

He opened one beady eye to gaze as her. "K'lady," he squawked weakly. "Lady, they took it." Galadriel gulped, and Fandil gasped for air. "K'I was with Meneldor, the Swiftest. We were scouting as Mithrandir and Gwaihir had ordered." He let out a weak cry. "But the k'arrows of the accursed Valley of the Moon (1) are long and true." Closing his eyes in pain, he let out a piercing wail. _"Kreeee!!!!_ May Thronodor smite all servants of Mordor, especially the blackest shadows!!" Then Fandil was himself again, wounded and weak. "They shot down even Meneldor the Everswift. I only survived because they realized the worth of their first victim. They took it!!!" Fandil let out another miserable piercing wail before passing out of consciousness.

Galadriel's face was white with horror and pain and misery. She knew that for Ages, the swiftest of the Eagles had carried the Seed of the Skies. Passed down from generation to generation, the Swiftest carried a great honor and a greater responsibility. Meneldor the Everswift was not fast enough against the new devilry of Sauron. He fell, and with him fell the hope of the Eagles for safety of the Skies and the hope of Middle Earth against Sauron's rising might.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The darkness was growing heavy and impregnable before Frodo's eyes, and yet they struggled onward. New hope coursed through the two hobbits as they realized that the seemingly endless and unconquerable Emyn Muil was drawing to a close. Between bends in the stony path, they could see a new land below. The strange fairy-like figure of the frail girl of darkness continued to lead them with encouragement. Currently she waited, still and silent, atop a low yet deadly fang of the stony land.

The dead air stirred as the wind changed with a soft breeze from the East. The air was icy cold.

Frodo shivered and paused, lifting his head to look at the girl before them. Her head was turned, yet Fordo caught a glimpse of a mixed look: surprise and joy and worry etched into one upon her face. He followed her gaze to the edge of a higher cliff, a drop far above them.

Frodo heard Sam gasp beside him as they made out another figure upon this cliff, far and high, illuminated by the moonlight. Her hair was short and sandy brown. Her outfit and skirt seemed to be the same as the other girl's. But her face was grim and her eyes were steely.

The smaller girl seemed to gaze up at the figure with joy, yet the older woman looked down with sorrow. The cold eastern wind stirred once more as the older figure raised her head to look sadly at the skies.

_"It will not be long now."_

~*~*~*~*~

Ten days had passed since Glorfindel and the twins set out from Rivendell, and elf and beast were wearied to near exhaustion. With only three brief rests for the sake of the horses, the small band had ridden hard for ten days. When the horses grew weary, the riders dismounted and ran alongside the beasts for leagues upon leagues, under sunbeam and starlight, until none could go on without a rest.

The journey was hard, but they made good time. In less than four days, they had covered the lands of the Wild, a journey that would have usually taken over a fortnight. In this deadly land, they had met little resistance. The silence made Glorfindel nervous and uneasy. They had only encountered a few stray orcs and a warg, terrified to encounter elves in the wilderness, and the twins slayed them with ease. But there had been no Nazgul, no hint whatsoever of any interest of Sauron against which Elrond had so feverishly warned. Interest which Glorfindel knew was surely foremost in the Dark Lord's mind. Glorfindel's eyes remained alert and his ears were uneasy and his heart was troubled.

He looked over at the twins as they rode through the Far Downs. Elladan's eyes were glassy and unfocused and his mind was clearly resting in some distant haven. Elrohir, on the other hand, looked up as he felt the older elf's gaze upon him. The dark-haired youth looked grim and worried, almost reflecting the feeling Glorfindel felt inside. Glorfindel nodded slowly and turned his gaze back upon the lands before them.

Quietly, he nibbled a piece of _lembas,_ the only food they had brought on the journey. It gave both elf and animal the heart to continue onward with haste. Glorfindel held out the rest to Asfaloth, who gave a whinny of thanks and gratefully accepted as they slowed to a trot down the final hill of the Downs.

The small band paused silently to gaze at the Towers, and they looked upon the distant Sea. The gentle lap of the waves upon the shore and the cry of the gulls filled their hearts with longing, whispering of white shores and green lands, the utopia beyond the silver curtain of the waves, the lands of peace and beauty and wonder...

Glorfindel hardened his resolve. His time would come to return to Valinor one day, but today was not the day. He turned his gaze towards the glimmering gates of Mithlond, the Grey Havens of the elves and the dwelling of Cirdan the Shipwright.

"And now for the final race," he said. Glorfindel raised himself upon Asfaloth's back and prepared for the sprint when a faint breeze tickled his back. A shadow of doubt entered his mind, but he brushed it aside and urged Asfaloth forward, eager to catch up with the twins who had already sprinted away.

The salty air swirled around them, and the sea seemed to roar in their ears. Every minute seemed to last for an eternity as the Gates grew slowly nearer. _"Noro lim, Asfaloth!" _Glorfindel cried as the cold wind behind them seemed to pick up strength and urged them forward.

Elladan laughed with joy as the silver Gates slowly swung open to greet them and mischievously sprang ahead of the other two. With a hearty laugh, Glorfindel and Elrohir urged their steeds forward and the three raced to the welcoming Gates.

Through the Gates they galloped, slowing to a trot as they broke into laughter. Glorfindel shook his head smiling at the younger two, who seemed to have an unquenchable energy for competition. The buildings and gardens of the Havens smiled down upon them, and they finally felt at rest.

And there was Cirdan, ageless and aged, gazing at the sky over the Sea. They dismounted and allowed their horses to be led away. Their smiles quickly vanished as he turned and they beheld the grim expression on his face. His eyes were troubled and Glorfindel's unease returned.

Without a word, he extended his right arm to them and opened his fist. There in his palm lay a glittering turquoise gem, a perfect blue jewel.

"The Seed of the Seas," gasped Elrohir.

Cirdan nodded. "Things have gone ill in the South since you left Imladris. The winds have changed. It will not be long now." He gazed to the sky once more.

Glorfindel gasped as he realized what this meant. The wind from the West, the wind from the Sea was faint and weak, but the cold wind from the East, the wind of Sauron blew strong. And if they strained their ears, their hearts grew fearful, catching the echo of some monstrous scream. 

Looking down, he saw that Cirdan's face was hard and his eyes were steely. "The Seed cannot keep the Seas safe any longer." He deliberately turned his arm and dropped the jewel into Glorfindel's waiting palms. 

The Shipwright turned away slowly. He looked back at them, his face seeming haggard and ancient. "Go now. You can tarry no longer." The three travelers looked alarmed. "The Dark Lord is ready and will send his forces to assault the Havens. You must be as far away as possible when this happens." 

"But Lord Cirdan--" Glorfindel began. 

"No, you cannot return to Imladris," interrupted Cirdan, understanding his mind. "There is no time, and Elrond's house will offer no safe haven for the Seeds. You must go south." Cirdan was walking swiftly now as the three hurriedly followed. "It is there in the City of the Stars that they will be united, for good or for ill. You will take one of my ships and go along the coast and to the Bay of Belfas and up the mouth of the Anduin..."

He stopped and turned as they reached a small silver vessel. Few ships were left in the harbor, and few elves lingered in the Havens, but this craft had been readied and prepared for voyage. A small ramp even waited for them, leading up to the deck of the ship.

"You knew..." uttered Elrohir with surprise.

Cirdan nodded. "I knew long before you left Imladris that this day would come. Your steeds will be cared for and eventually sent back to Imladris when they are ready. You must go now and make haste over the waters. Time is short. It will not be long before the Dark Lord suspects you and sends his servants to delay or destroy you. Heed them not and stay on your course! You will find all you need stored upon this ship. Her name is _Mirengaer_ (2), Jewel of the Sea, and she is light and swift. She will guide you straight and true, as long as your hearts remain true to the mission." The three nodded and boarded the craft as Cirdan watched from below.

Several elves from the Havens hurriedly pulled the ramp away and helped them push off the dock. Then the white sail caught the wind and grew strong, carrying them towards the Sea.

"May the winds of Sauron not assail you, and may you remain true to your quest!" called Cirdan from afar. _"Vanya Sulie!"_

**********************************************************

(1) Morgul Vale, formerly a beautiful part of Ithilien and home of Minas Ithil, now taken over by the Nazgul and servants of Sauron to create Minas Morgul.

(2) This name may sound familiar to those of you reading my other LotR/SM fic "Niirer" (READ IT! hehe)... Mirengaer is the elvish name I have invented for Michiru.

AN: So the quest begins. Basically there will be three different "fronts": Frodo, Sam, and the Seeds in Mordor; Gandalf and the Three Hunters; and Glorfindel and the twins. And be warned: I will go into little to no detail about events that happen in the book/movie that don't have to do with the gathering of the crystals (i.e. Helm's Deep). Might make reference to it after it happens, but I won't describe it happening because my focus will be elsewhere. Assume the events take place as in the canon unless I describe something different.

Hope this chapter makes you (a little) less angry with me. Now, Review Responses:

**Thea-chan**- Makoto/Eomer, hm? Haven't gotten many requests for that lol. ^_^' We shall see... ;D

**Princess Silver Serenity**- Dark is Rising = great series. Definitely one of my favs, up there with Narnia and Terry Prachett and Earthsea and David Eddings and such. ;D

**Vittaria**- very true! And if you have any idea for a pairing for Hotaru, please let me know. (Eomer...maybe?)

**JaminJellyBean**- hmm... I considered Haldir originally, but ruled him out. They expand his part in the movie, and though he is skilled and probably a leader of the defense of Lorien (I call them the _Vakhar_ in my other fic), I still struggle to see it for Usa. Ack! I'm thinking I will develop the character of Glorfindel, the amazing elf lord who has been left out of the movie. He's kind of the #2 elf in Rivendell, after Elrond of course. v kewl guy.

**SilverStarlightAngel**- dunno if you got my email from ages ago or not. ;D And never fear about enough places for Middle Earth for all the gems... I have a nice little chart with it all planned out. Huzzah! 

**datajana**- lol thank you very much! And if you have an idea for a pairing for Hotaru, please let me know. I was thinking maybe Eomer somehow... hmm....

**hiyayaka**- sorry but that pairing just won't work in this fic. Gomen nasi. Legolas will be paired with Ami if you care.

**Loopy Lu**- Lol!!! And thanks for the promotion. ;D

**minnieshon**- yah, the height is an issue, but besides Hotaru, Rei is one of the shortest senshi (ok so they're all mostly the same height :-P). But remember that the senshi of her is her spirit, not her physical self. Who knows? I might decide that when (if) she regains a physical body, it is the body of a hobbit. But that would be weird. Hmmm....****

Thank you also to:

**AJaKe**

**Eternal Salior Earth Zodiac**

**Brightness**

**PadFootCc**

**Hikari_angel **

**DragonStar**

**angelwings6117**

Finally, I think I have almost solidified the pairings. Makoto, Minako, and Hotaru are still up for debate, but they will probably be paired with Elladan, Elrohir, and Eomer (just not in that order). Haven't decided who will get who yet hehe.

Thank you for your continued patience and dedication, and please review. Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet. _Namarie!_

~Calli-chan


	5. The Rise of the Horror

AN: I'm baaaaack! Sorry for the delay, school has been controlling my life. To refresh your memory,

Last time: Nazgul shot down the Eagle Meneldor over Minas Ithil and gained the Seed of the Skies. The winds changed. Hotaru (the Seed of Darkness) continued to lead Frodo and Sam, and they encountered Haruka. Glorfindel and the twins (Elladan & Elrohir) set out from Rivendell and arrived in the Grey Havens for the Seed of the Seas. The foresighted Cirdan quickly surrendered it to them and urged them to hurry South along the coast, for "It is in the City of the Stars that they will be united, for good or for ill." Giving them some final advice, he sped them off on one of his remaining ships, Mirengaer.

Thus we have the foundations for the three "stages" where the plot will build. Onward we go! "..." is talking, '...' is thought, [...] is AN or definition, (...) is extra info but part of the fic, ... means trailed off, -- means interrupted. 

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The Sea was gentle as the quiet twilight deepened. Glorfindel stood by the stern of the ship, his strong arm guiding the rudder along a course parallel to the shore. He sighed deeply as the weight of the ages fell from his shoulders. How long had it been since he had felt the smooth wood of a tiller beneath his palms? How long since he had touched a sturdy mast or a soft canvas sail? The calluses on his hands had disappeared ages ago. Now, at long last, he felt complete again, alive and young upon the endless ageless Sea. He breathed a sigh of contentment.

The night sky was clear. Earendil twinkled brightly above. Hope and longing grew within Glorfindel's heart as he gazed at the brilliant star. Lowering his eyes and turning to the open Sea, the lull of the waves filled him a strong desire to abandon the shores of Middle Earth and turn the tiller to the West, to the Blessed shores. 

But no, now was not his time. Wrenching his eyes and heart from the calling of the open sea, he focused himself on his mission. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the brilliant blue crystal, the Seed of the Seas. Glorfindel held the crystal aloft as Earendil shown down. Watching in fascination, the Seed reflected the light of the star, and the two seemed to pulse together. Awe and wonderment filled Glorfindel's eyes as he slowly lowered the crystal, returning it to the safety of his pocket.

Glorfindel mused quietly for a while, savoring the peace of the Sea and the starlight. As the moon reached its zenith, he recalled to mind the twins whom he had sent below deck to rest. Setting the tiller, he resolved that it was time they learned the ways of the Sea, and he went below to rouse them.

A lone gull cried in the night air, as the stars shone above.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Treebeard smiled down upon the two sleeping hobbits in his hall. It had been many long years since any creature had made him feel young. Yet here were two such creatures-- small and light-hearted like the elven children of old, yet simple and curious at every aspect of life. And their laughter reminded Treebeard of the good people beyond the Forest... the good-hearted and innocent people who might soon come under the Shadow.

Treebeard raised himself towards the East. The rumbles and groans of the Land echoed in his heart. Darkness was coming. Would the Seed of the Forest be enough to protect the trees he loved so much? Could they withstand the coming wave of evil?

'We will stand, hroom,' Treebeard rumbled to himself. Then, more quietly, 'we *must* stand.'

His heart roared and his eyes burned in memory of what Morgoth, the original Dark Lord, had done to the Trees in the First Age, when the Overlord gained the Seed of the Forest. All had been death and despair, and so much had been lost. He could not risk any careless moves that would endanger the Forest once more.

'And yet,' he thought as he gazed upon the sleeping halflings, 'who will protect the Land of the Little Folk, the innocent and light-hearted people who have no guard against the Darkness?' With one final fatherly gaze over the little ones, he turned his troubled eyes away and strode through the trees to begin his work. (1)

~*~*~*~*~*~  
  


Frodo's initial relief to be free from Emyn Muil was soon dampened by the horrific Dead Marshes. Their progress slowed as the small dark-haired sprite sought to find a solid path through the soggy ground. The taller, tan-haired figure continued to keep her (2) distance, seeming to direct the winds. In truth, Frodo and Sam should have been especially grateful to this aloof figure, who blew the deadly fumes away from the hobbits' fragile lungs. Yet they could feel grateful for little as they struggled through the marshes, mud soaked to their waste, grimy and exhausted. 

With a brief hopeless thought, Sam remembered looking out across these very same marshes from Emyn Muil, what seemed like centuries ago. The land had seemed so vast, even from that high height. Looking back, Sam could still she the deadly cliffs clearly, and realized how far they had come.

This would be much worse than the marshes with the hobbit-eating flees on the way to Rivendell. And they had only just begun.

Sam sighed, tightened his belt, and struggled onward.

~*~*~*~*~*~

With confusion and shock, Merry looked closely at his cousin, from head to toe. "You're taller," he stated suspiciously.

"Who?" Pippin replied innocently.

"You!"

"Than what?"

"Than me!"

Pippin adopted an innocent look. "I've always been taller than you."

"Pippin, everyone knows I'm the tall one, you're the short one," Merry replied matter-of-factly

Pippin mimicked Merry's tone. "Please, Merry. You're what? Three-foot-six? At the most? Whereas me, I'm pushing three-foot-seven." He groaned treeishly. "Three-eight!"

Merry glared suspiciously. "Three-foot-eight? You did something."

Looking from his cousin, to the container held in Pippin's arm, Merry leapt up and grabbed the container.

"Merry, don't! Don't drink it! Merry!" Pippin cried desperately. Merry just laughed and ran faster, trying to tip the contents of the container into his mouth while running. Pippin laughed and joined in the chase. The two young hobbits ran and jumped and laughed through Treebeard's hall, while the strange Ent Draught sloshed in the container, and most ended up on the ground (erupting into bright flowers and green grass). Somewhere above, a clear laugh joined their young voices. 

Merry stopped mid-tackle, his arm suspended in mid-air. (3) "Did you hear that?" he asked with a hint of worry.

Pippin sat up quickly, a smile still on his face. "Yah. Probably just some tree or another laughing at us."

"That didn't sound like a tree," insisted Merry.

The clear laugh sounded again as they caught the hint of a tall green-clad figure flitting among the branches above. The hobbits watched in wonder and fascination as she continued to laugh with them. In an instant, she swung down from a branch and landed soundlessly on the ground. She was tall, with brown hair pulled back into a tail, and an indecently short green skirt with boots and a large bow on her chest. With a smile and a quick bow, she leapt up to the branches once more and disappeared, though her laugh lingered.

The two hobbits looked at each other, awed smiles on their faces.

"Wow," said Pippin said after a moment, "I wonder who she was. Think she was an elf?"

"Nah," replied Merry, still looking at the trees, "she wasn't an elf. It's like... she doesn't belong to this world or something."

Pippin smiled wider. "Do you think we've seen a *faerie*?!"

Merry shrugged. "Maybe, Pip. Maybe."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The Dead Marshes were endless, Sam decided, and it only got worse with each step. He longed just to feel a fresh breeze on a solid green hill-- even the tall woman that seemed to control the wind couldn't find much fresh air now.

And now there were the Lights to contend with. Strange lights and fires that hovered on the edge of their vision, through the fog, longing to lead them astray. 

But now a new figure had joined them. She had been waiting as they reached the lights, dressed in a similar garb as the others (Sam blushed and averted his eyes from her legs), with a short red skirt, heels, and a huge bow. Her hair was long and black, and her eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire. In fact, her whole being seemed to radiate heat, but it was not the deadly suffocating heat of the Marshes, but a welcoming warmth. She moved to lead them on, as the small dark haired girl fell back, trying to ward off the deadly Lights.

The red clad girl turned and stared at them intently, her deep eyes gazing into their souls. _"Welcome,"_ her voice reverberated through their hearts, though they couldn't be sure if she actually vocalized the words. _"I am the Senshi of Fire, Mars. The Senshi of Darkness, Saturn, and the Senshi of the Winds, Uranus, have led you thus far. But now you must trust in me. There are evils in this Land that will seek to lead you astray, leaving you lost forever in its depths. Set your heart and deafen your ear to these calls or all will be lost."_

And she had led them true, thus far. Though she seemed as insubstantial as the others, she chose the solid path and avoided the waters at all costs. For now there seemed to be things in the waters, deadly faces from long lost wars...

Sam shivered and averted his gaze from the nasty pools. Looking up, he saw the red-clad sprite, Mars, still leading them forward. But where was Mr. Frodo?

Sam turned his head quickly from side to side, and suddenly caught sight of his master, almost lost in the fog. "MISTER FRODO!!!" he cried desperately as he lunged to the side of the path.

Mars turned immediately at the sound of the cry, but Frodo paid them no heed. Sam ran forward, but stumbled and his leg fell into a deep pool of sucking mud. "FRODO!!!!" he cried again, unable to move, trying to call his master back to the path and away from the Lights.

Mars moved faster than the hobbits could see. She cried to Hotaru and Haruka, and the two tried to blow away the fog and hide the Lights in Darkness, but they were too far into the depths of the Marshes and unable to do much. Mars closed her eyes and called to Frodo, reaching out an insubstantial hand. _"Listen to my voice,"_ she pleaded, penetrating his soul.

Frodo shivered as he felt something warm touch his shoulder, though he was sure that nothing was there. He shook his head and the all-consuming beauty and power of the Lights faded from his mind.

Turning his head slowly, he saw the semi-transparent Senshi of Fire standing behind him, her translucent arm outstretched to his shoulder. As she opened her eyes, they simmered gently, while her entire being seemed to glow. _"Please,"_ she seemed to say softly. _"You must follow *my* light."_

~*~*~*~*~

Gandalf woke suddenly from his bed in Theoden's hall. 

He looked around the room suspiciously. All should be well here. Grima was gone and the king was healed. Yet something was not right. Something was stirring. Something was coming.

"It will not be long now," Gandalf echoed softly.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A soul-searing screech filled the air. As one, the heads of the three senshi shot upward. "Black Riders!" cried Sam with horror. 

The cold grip of fear seized Frodo's heart as he fell over, clutching his shoulder and the old wound in agony. The screech echoed through the air again, as a great monstrous dragon flew into view, a horrible Nazgul on its back. Sam fell to his knees covering his head, while Frodo writhed in pain, a darkness falling over his eyes and heart. 

Something touched his shoulder, and Frodo slowly felt warmth seeping into the icy wound. _"I am here,"_ came the soft voice, _"follow my light."_ He loosened his grip on the Ring that he clutched so tightly.

Gradually, her light seemed to lift the darkness from his soul. The Marshes returned to his eyes. He found himself fallen on the ground, with Sam nearby clutching his hand. The small girl, Saturn, was standing over them and seeming to radiate a darkness to hide them. The tall figure, Uranus, stood nearby with a look of disgust on her face at the retreating dragon form_. "It has come to it at last,"_ the wind carried her strained voice, _"Wraiths on the Wind."_ She looked away, her face taunt, so that they wouldn't see the extreme sorrow that this new horror caused her.

"I thought they were dead!" said Sam angrily, strugling to his feet. 

_"No,"_ said Mars sadly, _"not dead. Never dead. As we are senshi of Cosmos, so are they senshi of Chaos,"_ she said softly to herself. She looked up at the hobbits again and added, _"Their spirits are also tied to the Ring you bear, Frodo Baggins."_

Sam gasped and Frodo shied away, clutching his chest suspiciously. "How--? Who told you?" cried Sam angrily. "You have no right to know! Who are you anyways?! It is no business of yours!!!" He was red in the face when he finished.

_"That is where you are wrong, Samwise Gamgee,"_ said Mars softly, _"for your mission is the business of all free peoples of Middle Earth and beyond."_ She lowered herself to one knee as the other women followed. _"We are three Soldiers of Light, imprisoned by the Dark. Our physical forms are lost, our powers are ensnared, but our spirits are free. Only the pure of heart may see us, and we will lend you any aid we can. I, Sailor Mars of the Fire, do so swear."_

_"I, Sailor Saturn of the Darkness, do so swear,"_ came a voice in waves of feeling.

_"I, Sailor Uranus of the Skies, do so swear,"_ came the voice on the wind.

_"We will see this journey through to the end."_

****************************************************************

(1) For those insistent on a timeline, Treebeard left to spread word of the Entmoot. Merry and Pip will wake up and find him gone, but he will return later in the morning.

(2) Yes, everyone confuses Haruka for a guy, but her spirit is in her senshi fuku, so I decided they'd probably realize that she was a girl. ^_^"

(3) I'm not a big fan of Treebeard taking over Tom Bombadil's role, which is why I didn't include that.

AN: So, if you're wondering why Rei has taken up the leadership role through the Marshes, it's simply because of her element. Each senshi is playing her part-- Haruka controls the winds, blowing away their scents (a trail) and in as much fresh air as possible; Hotaru tried to hide them and cover the Lights in her darkness; and Rei guides them with her fire. It's as simple as that. Now, Review Responses:

**Andtauriel Longwood Baggins**- yah, Lothiriel is canon, but I was always kinda annoyed by her. Simply because there is no character for her or anything but her name. Which is why I keep Eomer on the avaliable bachelors list... besides the fact that I love him so much lol. ;D And about Treebeard and Gandalf... I'm not sure how clear this came off at the chapter, but Gandalf didn't really cause Treebeard to snap. Gandalf cause Treebeard to bring up memories that are still a sore spot after thousands of years... Treebeard actually snapped at Morgoth and all the evil he did, not Gandalf's pleading. Thanks! :D

**minnieshon**- Dwarves are 5'0? LOL!!!! I dunno if that's right though... I know that today legal dwarves are people over 30 that are under 4'8". So I'd think they'd be even shorter in Arda... hrm... And the whole Rei pairing isn't set in stone (though I am leaning towards it), but yah gotta look physical appearances or height and look at character etc. (Believe me, I know height problems ark).

**Chibi-Cola**- yah, I haven't decided what exactly I'm gonna do with Rei yet. It would be really weird if she became a hobbit. Funny maybe though lol. ^_^" And Glorfy! ::glomp:: ::drool:: heh.

**CIGaL**- Minako/Eomer might work. ;) Thanks lol!

**messiah of fate**- The 'guardians' will have bodies eventually. ;D But it will take time. They can communicate in ways related to their power source though. 

**SilverRose82**- Haha! :D Yah, just Meneldor died, though Fandil isn't in the best condition. The others aren't dead... yet. MWHAHAHA!

**M.J**- Thank you so much! Yah, RotK was amazing. ::sigh:: Huzzah! And thanks for the long review lol.

**Sunshine Fia**- Yah, that's exactly what Gandalf was trying to tell Treebeard. Treebeard is convinced he needs to protect the forest and will be able to do so with the Seed of the Forest. But Gandalf knows that it won't be long before Sauron--or Saruman--is strong enough to invade Fangorn and take the crystal. Setsuna will be the next senshi to appear, Usa will be last (though I've been dropping hints along the way as to why ::wink wink::) Thanks so much!

**Kitoky**- ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yah, I bet the Nazgul do have a spa somewhere in Minas Morgul LOL!!!! And Glorfy will meet Cosmos... eventually. You shall see, heheh. ;D

**Eyes_of_Pearl-** Thank you! i'm a big fan of mixing book and movie, because, though the movie explained things in simpler ways, it doesn't have everything. Mixing the two offers so many opportunities! :D

**DragonStar-** haha, thank you! I'm personally giving you a note. ;D As for the pairing... I think I'm gonna have to keep emphasizing that if Rei/Frodo does happen, it's not a sexually oriented romance. The way I see it, Frodo is lost in darkness and needs a guiding light... and with concern and care for him, Rei will try to guide him out of that darkness. That's the kind of love I'm thinking of, not one based on appearance. ;D Thanks!

**Vittaria**- Huzzah for the Silmarillion! Am doing a research paper on it. ;D And can you guess who has the Seed of Fire now? ::wink::

**datajana**- Have I read your new chappie yet? Something is telling me I haven't... note to self to check it out. And Hotaru/Eomer will be a stretch... I'm thinking I might just give her one of the twins and pair Minako with Eomer. Hrmm... Thanks for the encouragement! :D

**Amy**- Thank you SO much!!! :D:D:D:D ::feels very loved::

**Loopy (and) Lu-** Welcome to insanity, enjoy your stay! :D Lol. And yay Weird Al!!!!! ^_^"

Thank you also to:

SilverKnight7 

**solarmistress17**

Thanks for all your dedication. Hopefully there won't be as much of a delay for the next chapter. Ja!

~Calli-chan


	6. The Battle for the Waves

AN:  Ok, I purposely delayed posting "Spellbound" so that both sides of the mirror could have chapter 6 up together.  So be sure to check out "Spellbound", my HP/SM fic about what would have happened if Cosmos, not Chaos, won the battle from the first chapter.  (/end promotional announcement)

Now, a lot of you have been asking when Usa will appear in this fic.  Well, remember, all the Seeds must be gathered before the ninth shall appear.  I promise I have a really cool entrance planned for her-- I've been thinking about it for ages!  makes me so excited-- but it probably won't happen until chapter 11 or 12.  Hang in there, Usa fans!  The wait won't be so bad, I promise!  And I'll try to make it earlier if possible, but a lot of stuff has to happen first.

Wonder what I'm gonna do after Usa appears.  That has been the big highlight and climax in my mind.  heh.

And since it's been two months (ok, almost three), **Last Time**:  Glorfindel and the twins were on the Sea, bearing the Seed of the Seas.  Sam and Frodo entered the Dead Marshes.  Merry and Pippin ran around with the Ent Draught and caught sight of the senshi of the Forest.  Mars entered and led the way through the Marshes, with Saturn hiding them in darkness and Uranus blowing away the deadly fumes.  The three, which are captives of Sauron, promised to protect the hobbits and help of their mission.

Now onto chapter 6!  Prepare for a nice long chapter!  w00t!

.

.............................................................................................................................................

The gulls were silent above Mithlond, the last Haven of the Elves.  Cirdan walked upon the silent street among silent buildings.  His heart was troubled, and his foresight failed him.

He had sent Glorfindel and the sons of Elrond upon the wild Sea.  Mirengaer was a good craft and Glorfindel, if he remembered his youth, was a good seaman.  But was it enough?

For the Winds had been taken.  That much was clear to Cirdan.  He drew his cloak closer as another gust of icy air blew in from the East- the unnatural wind, especially when so near the Sea.  The Wind of Mordor.

But what is the Sea without the Wind?  Since the dawn of time, the two elements have always been united.  The breeze in the sails.  The current through the water.  The storm upon the ocean.  Without the Wind, the Sea is merely a large puddle of water.

How could he have believed that the Sea could stand now that the Wind had fallen into Darkness?

The cold wind blew again, and the old streamers of the city fluttered eerily.  The once great city of the Mariners was empty.  All, except a handful of sailors for the last journey preparations, had sailed home to the Blessed Realm.  The city of his glorious design was now only a memory.

The cold wind blew strong, and at last came the cry he had been waiting for.  The cold, hateful, frightening cry which fills the hearts of many with dread.  Cirdan turned slowly, a grim smile upon his face.  He had not lived through all the Ages of the world to quail before such creatures of long forgotten men.  They would come, yes, and they would destroy what they could, but they would not find It.  They would demolish the few remaining ships and leave much of the Havens in ruin, but they would know that what they sought was beyond their grasp.

But then they would set out, across the open waters, and Mirengaer and her passengers would be at their mercy.

The cry sounded through the sky again, and the stones of Mithlond as the horrible winged creatures came into view.  Cirdan sent a silent desperate prayer to Uinen, the Lady of the Waters, to watch over the trio bearing the great burden.

Then the Nazgul fell upon the Grey Havens of the Elves.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The Sea whipped around Glorfindel like a wild beast with massive waves threatening to overwhelm the small ship.  Glorfindel spat out salty water as he struggled to keep hold of the tiller and keep the boat from being smashed into the shore.  It had been many Ages since he had experienced a storm such as this.

The twins were yelling something as they tried to keep the sail taunt, but the wind blew their voices back into their throats.

Glorfindel glanced at the sky, which was black as night, though it was the middle of the day.  The seagoing had been fair thus fair, but this wild storm had come out of nowhere.  On the water, most of the waves leapt up even higher than the ones around the ship.  The waves seemed to jump up more than twenty feet into the sky, as if trying to knock something out of the air.  He had never seen anything like it.

Then Glorfindel remembered the weight kept safely within his inner pocket.  The Seed of the Sea.  The ocean would not harm its own keeper.  Instead, it was protecting them, lashing back at some menace in the air.

But what?  For days they had felt safe and isolated upon the open water.  They hadn't seen a soul, save the gulls above and the fish below.  Despite this simulated sense of safety, had some servant of the Enemy found their way to the Seed?

Glorfindel did not have to wait long for an answer, as a heart-shaking cry filled the air.

The Nazgul of Mordor had come at last, upon the wings of the Wind.

The Sea lashed back with renewed efforts, even more wildly than before, trying to strike the beasts of the air.  Glorfindel struggled to remain upright as the boat was tossed from side to side while sped through the water.

Yet the Nazgul would not let water overcome them again.  The three beasts flew deftly between the wild waves, zipping this way and that, and moving in for the kill.

Glorfindel entrusted his life to the Sea and let go of the tiller.  The twins followed suit, and in a moment all three were aiming their bows as best they could on the rocking boat, and arrows were flying through the salty air.

The monsters screamed and wheeled up higher.  Waves leapt up to overwhelm them, but gravity pulled the water back down.

"Don't shoot until you the monsters are directly on top of us," hollered Glorfindel among the roaring Sea.  The unpredictable Enemy wind blew away their noblest attempts, and they had brought too few arrows to waste them that way.

Above, a sharp cry signaled the Nazgul's descent.  The three elves grimly pulled out long daggers.

The Nazgul fell like bullets.  In an instant, they were upon the ship among the smaller waves.  The Sea gave up its protection in favor of survival and lashed back with full might upon the ship and the Nazgul.  Yet the dragons were deft creatures rising quickly to escape the water, and diving twice as fast.  Their claws were deadly as they sought to capture and kill all three Elves within their grasp.

Elladan was like a machine with his double swords, flailing and slicing and whacking anything he could. Glorfindel couldn't tell what was struck, but soon the black blood of the dragons became intermixed with the salt of the Sea.  Elrohir, more comfortable with the bow and with a dagger easily accessible, steadied himself on the edge of the boat and aimed for the monsters' clawed feet and eyes.  The creatures howled in anguish as he blinded several of them, and their feet were like pincushions.

But the Nazgul did not stop.  At one point the dragons caught Elladan by the shoulders and lifted him into the air, and despite his wild movements with his swords, desperately trying to hack off the dragons' feet, he could not free himself.  Elrohir aimed for the thin wing sinew while Glorfindel vaulted across the ship to save the elven teen.  The beast faltered and screamed in agony as its wing ripped, but Elrohir did not relent.  Glorfindel leapt off the ship and grabbed one of the clawed feet which held Elladan in the air.

Glorfindel's sword was old, but it was forged by the Dwarves of Old and its strange steel remained strong and sharp.  He hacked once, twice at the brutal clawed foot of the monster, and the foot was sliced free from the body.  Elladan, even from his awkward state, had already cut halfway through the other foot, and it took only one stroke from Glorfindel to free them.  They plummeted down, into the Sea.  The monster and Nazgul alike screamed in agony.

Splash!  The two bodies plummeted downward into the silent blue waters, dimly aware of the battle and rage that continued far above.  But the Sea would not let two of her defenders die in such a way.  Shaking off the pain and dreadful stinging of several wounds inflicted by the brutal claws of the dragons, the two swam upward toward the black sky.

.

With a gasping breath, they broke the surface and returned to the frenzy.  Upon the boat, Elrohir, wielding his dagger, seemed almost overwhelmed by the three beasts.  He would not let them touch his shoulders, but there were wounds and blood across his face and body and his breathing was heavy.  Glorfindel and Elladan quickly vaulted onto the rocking ship to aid him, wild the waves tossed wildly.

"Go for the wings!" cried Glorfindel against the roaring ocean as he and Elladan grabbed their swords and fought the monsters away from Elrohir.  With some sort of strategy now in mind, Elrohir pulled out his bow again and aimed solely for the dragons' eyes and wings, hoping to tear the delicate sinew.  Glorfindel and Elladan wielded their swords wildly and sliced off any claw that tried to grab one of the elves.  They also raised their swords high and sliced at the wings whenever they were within arm's reach, ducking from the Morgul blades of the Ringwraiths and trying to remain steady as wave after wave swept over the small craft.

At last the dragons could fly no longer.  The waves threatened to overwhelm them, and their seemed to be a hint of fear in the cries of the wraiths.  The wounded dragons pulled up as high as they could (only just clearing the high waves) and made for the solid land of the shore.  The Nazgul cried angrily as they left, and the elves knew that they would surely return with new beasts.

The dragons, however, could go no further.  One, with both feet gone and wings in tatters-- Glorfindel thought this might have been the one that tried to lift Elladan-- fell into the waves, unable to even reach the nearby shore before succumbing to death.  None could be sure what happened to the wraith upon its back.  Another dragon, blinded in both eyes and with only one usable wing, collapsed upon the shore.  The third managed to keep flying, but only barely.  The elves doubted it would be able to go much further, and the Nazgul would have to walk back to Mordor.  Somehow, this thought was quite amusing.  They broke out into laughter as the Sea calmed.

But none had realized how near the storm and the battle had brought them to shore.  Elrohir turned amid the laughter and suddenly his face changed to horror.  "Glorfindel!  The rocks!" he cried suddenly.

For indeed, they were almost on top of the rocky shoreline now.  Glorfindel leapt for the tiller as the twins tried, in vain, to do something with the tattered sail.  But even as Glorfindel turned the boat away, the rudder struck a rock below the water and broke with a sickening snap.

The entire ship and her passengers shuddered.  Glorfindel prayed to Elbereth that the Wind of Mordor might not return so soon, with them so vulnerable and with no way to steer.  The twins looked unsure and almost fearful.

"Go see if you can find any oars below," said Glorfindel with a sigh.  "We need to find some sort of sheltered cove where we can spend the night.  We can't go any further on the open sea before we mend this craft."

The sky had returned to blue with the sun low in the sky, and the waves lapped the shore with the low tide.  The rocks seemed to stretch far into the distance.  Glorfindel sighed to himself and prayed for fair seas.  It was time to teach the twins how to row.

.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

They were through the Marshes.

The final murky pools thinned out to bogs and finally to mere soggy ground as the hobbits climbed gradually uphill.  At last, at the peak of the climb, the mud dried up as well, leaving only hard solid ground and wonderful sharp stones.  The hobbits fell to the ground in exhaustion and breathed freely.  They were out of the infernal bog, but Sam feared that the stench would never wholly leave him.

_"Look,"_ called one of the senshi, after a brief rest that seemed far too short.

The hobbits wearily peered around the boulder which concealed them, and gasped at the terrible sight.  Among the mountains before them rose the dreaded Teeth of Mordor, the black watchtowers of Sauron, their shadows stretching long across the plain.  And set between them stood the menacing Black Gate of Mordor, like a wall of unconquerable stone.

At that moment, feeling the pain of how far they had come and seeing the hopelessness before them, the hobbits almost quailed and turned back.  But hobbits are made of sterner stuff than that.  They grimaced, gulped, tightened their belts, steeled their wills, and prepared to face the menace.

A wave of emotion passed over the hobbits as they felt the senshi of Darkness speak.  _"Do not despair, Little Ones.  The way is grim, and only grimmer as you continue forward.  But take hope and know that we will be with you, showing you the way."_

_"There is another road,"_ said the senshi of the Skies, standing tall and her eyes distant.  _"A secret, forgotten path by the Tower of the Moon."  _Then her eyes darkened and she frowned angrily.  _"But no, Sauron has befouled Minas Ithil, and that path ends in a way even darker than the Gate before us."_  The hobbits shuddered.

.

"Where is Sailor Mars?" asked Frodo suddenly.  And indeed as Sam spun around, she was nowhere in sight.

The other senshi seemed unconcerned.  _"She has done what she can.  Sauron is concocting some new devilry, no doubt.  Even as a memory unseen by most, her soul is bright, and she knows that stealth, darkness, and secrecy are needed through Mordor.  She will return when the time is right."_  Behind the Gate, a great tongue of fire seemed to leap up from Mount Doom.  The hobbits looked away in fear.

_"Now listen close, hobbits,"_ said Sailor Saturn, calling their attention again, _"for it may be a long while before we are able to speak freely again. The Gate of Mordor is watched day and night, with Silent Watchers always vigilant.  Yet with our powers aiding you, you may be able to sneak by unnoticed._"  Sam gulped nervously at this idea, but Saturn ignored him and continued.  _"Many strangers are filling Mordor, answering Sauron's call and marching up from the South.  A great war is brewing, and the Haradrim are a numerous people that loyally support the Dark Lord.  One such host is approaching as we speak; Uranus estimates that they will be here by twilight.  When the Gate is opened to admit these foreigners, you will secretly join this company.  Your cloaks will help you blend into the rock, Uranus will confuse the winds and blow away your sound and scent, and I will mask you in shadow.  Once inside, you will enter Udun."_

Frodo nodded grimly, but Sam's face was muddled in confusion.  The strange spirit of Saturn smiled.  _"You would do well to study the regions of the Enemy land more closely, Samwise Gamgee.  But alas, you are far from the wisdom of Rivendell.  Udun is a gap between the mountain ranges of Mordor.  It is guarded by gates at both ends of the pass-- the Morannon and the Isenmouthe.  Udun will be crowded with foreigners moving both ways on the road, and many more camped in the hostile area around it.  March hard and fast through the night, but by day find cover in a ditch near the road and rest; most are filled with thickets, and though painful, these will hide you best.  By night you must hurry once more, preferably finding another group of Haradrim to follow.  You will reach the Isenmouthe, the second gate and the great crossroads of Mordor.  There will be great confusion among different companies going different directions.  Use this to your advantage as you disappear through the Gate to the plateau of Gorgoroth.  From there, you will know what to do."_  The senshi of Darkness looked grimly towards the tongues of fire which leapt up from the distant Mount Doom.

Sam peered around the boulder and looked at the invincible Gate again.  He gulped and tried to shake away the growing anxiety of trying to sneak into such a steeled land.  Frodo's face was unreadable in the fading light, but clearly pale below the grime and strain.

_"We cannot make you invisible,"_ added Uranus, trying to give them reassurance, _"but we will do all in our powers to help you.  We will not be able to appear in our visible forms often from now on, but we will always be nearby-- watching, guiding, and guarding as best we can.  It is a heavy and terrible thing that you carry, Frodo Baggins, a thing of great power despite its size.  But take comfort and know that there are others who carry such things, others who are suffering as we speak to keep such things safe."_  The eyes of the Senshi of the Skies were distant once more, but Frodo could have sworn he heard a strange sound blown suddenly on the wind.  A roaring sound, and the echo of some lonely bird winging through the air.

Slowly he drifted back to the boulder and the Gate before them, and instead heard the heavy marching of a hundred feet.  The sun had fallen behind the mountains when the host of Haradrim came into sight.  Their faces were hidden behind grim helmets and strange banners, but they were a fearsome warlike people.  Same drew his cloak tighter around himself and wished desperately for the courage to see this through.

The two senshi stood at their sides, but as the Haradrim approached, they slowly faded from view.  Sam almost cried out in fear of being left alone among such people, but Saturn smiled as she faded completely.  _"We are with you."_

The Haradrim were near.  The hobbits stood up slowly, hidden under the hood of their cloaks, and carefully crept down the hillside.  Sam slipped on the loose stones a few times, but the sound seemed strangely quiet and the rocks stilled themselves quickly.  Frodo trusted himself to the instincts of a well-footed hobbit, as little could be seen in the twilight.

They were on the road.  They stood still and silent as the Haradrim passed, unmoving as shadows.  Then as the last stranger marched by, Frodo and Sam moved quickly.  Their hearts were racing as they hurried to keep up with the marching men.  The Gate was open, but how soon until it closed?  In anxiety and fear and eagerness, the hobbits almost forgot their caution.  But they stayed by the walls of the mountains where the shadows were the darkest, and none noticed the small creatures.

The front of the Haradrim had reached the Gate.  They had not stopped and continued marching steadily onward.  Now the middle section was within the land.  Now only a few men remained within sight...

Frodo and Sam scrambled forward and lunged through the gap between the mountain and the metal.  Even as they moved they heard the gears shifting above as the great trolls pulled the massive door shut.

Boom!  It was closed, an endless wall of black iron behind them.  They were within the Land of the Enemy, and there was no turning back.

.............................................................................................................................................

.

AN: Ok, that deserves a cheer.  Nine pages, folks!!!!!  :D  Go me!  Felt good to write too.  Glorfy continues to rock my socks.  Can't wait till next time for his part, whee!  :D  v. excited.  Now, Review Responses:

**Empress Blade**-  ::blushes::  Thank you!  And yes, Eomer must be paired.  I'm not letting him marry some unknown chick from Gondor, mwhahaha!  :D  Probably with Mako or Mina... hmm...

**TsukiYami**-  Yay!!!  Thank you so much!

**Eyes-of-Pearl**- hehe, I have something very unique planned for Usa.  Big secret, sorry.  But yes, still working on planning these anti-cliched couples.  ;D

** M.J.-** eep!  Sorry that there's been such a lack of Ami.  She'll be back in as soon as possible.

**Hikari Yume**- hehe, if you're a Silmarillion fan, then you'll love what's coming next time.  I've been jumping up and down for ages, waiting to introduce this character that wanders the shores.... EEE!!!  :D

**firemisstress47**-  Haldir!  Now there's a guy I should try to bring into this fic... somehow.  Not sure how hmm.  I'll have to think about that lol.

**Jewels14**- Minako/Faramir...  hmm..  Mina does seem like Eowyn in many ways, but I admit, I'm a hard core E/F shipper and I couldn't break them up.  Honestly, I think I value their pairing even more than A/A!  ::cowers from flying vegetables::

**angelwings6117**- That would be really cool if Mina's seed was in Arwen's necklace!  (I actually almost put Ami's Seed in Spellbound in Hermione's necklace, but I changed my mind).  But I already mentioned (briefly) that Saruman has the Seed of Heart and the Seed of Ice.  :(  And Pluto's seed... oh jeez, now you have me second guessing myself.  Well, her seed will show up next time, but there's something else about Lorien...  ::wink::

**Kitoky**- hehe, notification rocks.  VIP status, w00t!

**Black Mage of Darkness**- LOL!!!!  "They were good after all!"  Maybe I will have Mako show up and say "Yo, Treebeard, lemme go dude!"  We'll see lol...

** Shinia**- hehe, I actually have had thoughts of a Usa/Frodo fic.  But that's not gonna work out for this one.  And check out the note at the beginning for when she'll probably show up. :D

**Vittaria**- LotR Plaza?  Sounds kewl, will have to check it out!  Thanks so much!

Thank you also to:

**SJ   **

**Angelic Master **

**koldy**

**datajana**

**honey-gurl**

**Moonprincess202 **

Thank you so much everyone!  Keep sending those ideas and suggestions, though I admit that I've got a lot of stuff preset.  Thank you for all your dedication; your reviews continue to fill the ink of my pen.  :D  Till next time, ja ne minna-chan!

-Calli-chan


	7. The Gift of the Gems

AN: Well... hello again! (readers hurl rotten tomatoes at the horrible entrance and attempted excuse).

Seriously though, I have been working on this chapter for weeks. Months, if you count that I wrote the Wormtongue section sometime last year. But it seems that these days I am only able to grab a scrap of time here and there to write. Many of my RL friends who used to write fanfiction have simply quit completely. However, I can't do that--to myself or to the readers. I am just too in love with my stories and the whole idea of fanfiction.

So my endless apologies for taking so long. This is a lengthy chapter, and I hope it lives up to your expectations. ::cowers:: Review Responses at the bottom, and be sure to read the summary of last time to refresh your memory. Enjoy!

**Last time**: Nazgul attacked the Grey Havens and moved on over the Sea to attack the little boat of Glorfindel, Elladan, and Elrohir that carried the Seed of the Seas. The three elves were left wounded and weary after the battle, but with the help of the Sea they managed to cripple the dragons and force the Nazgul to retreat. However, their boat had blown too near to shore and the rudder broke upon the rocks, forcing the trio to camp on land. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam reached the end of the Marshes. Saturn and Uranus masked the hobbits in shadow and confused the winds, allowing the ringbearers to slip into the Land of the Enemy behind a hoard of Haradrim. The senshi advised the hobbits on how to creep through Udun to reach the wasteland of Mordor, and from there, Mount Doom. The sprites faded into the night with the promise _"We are with you."_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

She was there again. She was always there, hovering just beyond his consciousness.

She was there whenever he let his mind be at ease and rest in distant havens. In waking, she was never far from his thoughts as the vision continued to trouble him.

She would stand there, the snow swirling all around, in that same strange blue outfit which he had first seen her upon the mountain. She would raise a semi-transparent arm and call something, but the howl of the storm would snatch away any words. Her face was pained. And always, just as he was about to reach her, the storm would leap up even stronger and blow her away.

He was never at peace. She plagued him always.

The Lady of Caradhras.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The waves gently lapped the sandy shore. The small craft _Mirengaer_ rested nearby, providing a bit of shelter between the endless stretch of land and sky.

Elladan and Elrohir lay upon the shore wrapped in some spare sailcloth, sleeping as men would. Their wounds from the battle with the Nazgul were safely bound, but their bodies were exhausted. Glorfindel's own mind struggled to remain focused on the present and longed to rest. Instead, Glorfindel let his mind wander through his thoughts and memories as he whittled a bit of driftwood by the small fire, humming some long lost tune.

How many years since he'd seen the Sea? Here, where the land, sea, and sky knew no limits? Once, one with farsight could see all the way to Valinor from the shores of the mortal world. Glorfindel let his eyes wander to the edge of the horizon, staining until he could see the distant shore. If he stared long enough, he could just barely detect a faint shimmer of gold.

But no. That would only be _Vasa_ descending to the depths of the Earth, though she had set hours ago. None could see the Blessed Realm any more. Those shores had long since been swallowed up into the depths of the Sea.

Glorfindel continued to sing as his heart grieved. Few elves remaining in Arda knew the wonders of the Realm Beyond the Sea. The Sea called to them, but few truly missed it for they had never _seen_. They never knew what they were missing.

How could Feanor, despite his rash pride, have borne to leave? Glorfindel wondered. Granted a new body, he himself had returned to the Land of the Living to fulfill his oath to his king's family-- and serve Elrond as adviser, companion, and friend (1).

The waves crashed gently upon the shore. Glorfindel's heart sighed as he was sharply reminded of Nevrast, the home of his youth upon the shores of Beleriand. He abruptly stopped singing, but his song continued.

Glorfindel looked up sharply in surprise, reaching for his sword, just in case. But this song seemed to be coming from the waves themselves, as if a strange echo of the songs of Old. He strained his eyes into the darkness around the fire, willing his eyes to adjust to the starlight.

At last he made out an indistinct figure, walking lightly along the wet sand, his dark hair blending into the night. He was softly singing the same song that Glorfindel had been humming, but he now hummed the ancient Quenyan words which Glorfindel had long since forgotten.

Glorfindel relaxed the grip on his sword and stood by the firelight. _"Mellon?"_ he called out to the night. The twins stirred at the sound of his call.

Slowly the stranger made his way towards the fire, continuing to sing. The shadows danced weirdly across his face. Clearly an elf, he seemed oddly familiar, but Glorfindel could not place a name with his face.

"Come, friend," Glorfindel continued in Quenya as he gestured to the small camp. "Sit and enjoy a meal with us."

The stranger shook his head. "I no longer have need of mortal food. I have only the Sea and the Stars, yet even they are a curse."

Glorfindel let the subject drop as he sat down and gestured for the stranger to do the same. "What brings you to the edge of the Sea on such a night?"

The stranger lowered himself to a crouch. "I am always here. This is my doom." His eyes seemed strangely distant.

"Never to sail?" asked Glorfindel with surprise.

"No!" replied the stranger with sudden ferocity.

The twins slowly approached the fire and sat on either side, suspicious and curious. "Can we not at least offer you a bit of food and a place to rest? You may not need to eat, but perhaps it will help you enjoy memories of food."

The stranger slowly took the lembas loaf offered. "I remember these," he said slowly, examining the bread with a strange sheen in his eyes. "So many battles, so many journeys." He quickly gobbled it up. "And still soothing to the soul."

"What is your name, stranger?" Elrohir questioned.

"I am Uuner,"(2) he replied passively.

"No!" cried Glorfindel. "Perhaps you prefer to forget yourself, but I will call you Lingaer, the song of the Sea. For your voice is one of the greatest I have ever heard in this mortal realm and truly was one with the waves."

Lingaer nodded in consent. "Very well. It has been long since I have spoken to any creatures who desired a name."

Glorfindel suddenly remembered himself. "My name is Glorfindel. This is Elladan and Elrohir, my companions."

Lingaer's eyes shone curiously at Glorfindel's name, but he said nothing. "And to where do you travel?" he asked, eying the small boat.

"We sail south. A horrible storm broke our rudder upon the rocks and forced us to camp upon the shore until it is fixed. Yet our skill with a seacraft is limited, consisting only of bits of memory."

"You are whittling the wrong way," said Lingaer, eying the driftwood with a critical eye. "You have provided me with warmth of body and soul; I will repair this for you."

The three other elves thanked him with gratitude and offered him more lembas as they conversed into the night, waiting for _Vasa_ to return and the work to begin.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Treebeard watched as the company from Helm's Deep neared the gates of Isengard. With a twinkle in his fathomless eyes, he observed the two hobbits merrily greeting the Rohan king and their lost companions. With a pang of sorrow, he became aware again of the light weight he held in his palm.

With slow movements, he lifted his ancient woody arm and opened his fist. A small green gem seemed dwarfed among his mighty fingers. But this gem had long protected his homeland, long had its powers kept evil at bay and kept a mystery around the forest.

But no longer. As he watched the small hobbits, he wondered again if this was the right choice. Gandalf had always spoken wisdom before, but to surrender the only defense of Fangorn? Only once, in all the Ages, had the Forests lost their Seed. Only once, and disastrous consequences had followed.

A childlike laugh reached his ears, a laugh that seemed out of place among the dreary city and the dark fortress. Yes, it was not for himself that he surrendered the Seed--it was for the little folk who had no defense of their own.

Treebeard lowered his arm and closed his fist once more. Perhaps his decision would do nothing to save the little folk. Perhaps their lands, and now Fangorn as well, would inevitably be corrupted and destroyed. Perhaps all would be enslaved and all the forests would burn and all hope would flee Middle-earth.

But not yet. Hope still remained, though only a glimmer. Evil grew stronger, stronger than any force that the Seed of the Forests alone could keep at bay. Perhaps there was wisdom in Gandalf's words. Perhaps his quest is not as hopeless as it seems.

As the company passed through the Gate, Treebeard heavily lifted his limbs and moved to greet them and present to Gandalf the tiny gem that had guarded the forests for so long.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Wormtongue hurried into the empty tower room of Orthanc. Below, his master conversed in elegant tones with the invaders who had left Isengard in ruin. He could still hear the rising and falling of Saruman's buttery voice. Below, the foul wizard Gandalf Stormcrow listened, aware of the danger of the voice but oblivious to any danger from above. Wormtongue snickered evilly. Even a wizard cannot survive a heavy blow from above.

He scanned the room quickly, looking for a large blunt object. The large black ball in the center of the room would do nicely. But his hands strayed and instead picked up a heavy cinderblock nearby.

As the thing lay in his palms, the block broke apart easily, and Wormtongue realized that it was not a block at all, but a box. The inside was covered in velvet, housing the two most beautiful gems that he had ever seen . . .

They were perfect. One, blue as ice, sparkling like shimmers of falling snow in the dull light. The other, a warm and glowing orange, reminding him of a warm hearth on a winter's eve, or the welcoming of the sun at dawn. Both completely smooth with no visible cuts. Both seeming to hold a universe of their own and limitless power within. Both perfect in every way. Wormtongue stared hungrily into their depths.

At length, Wormtongue returned to himself, and greed consumed him. What right had Saruman to keep such beauties locked away in such an ugly box and never speak of them? Then again, what right had Saruman to such wonders at all? They were surely just another stolen treasure among his vast collection. But what has been stolen once can easily be stolen again. Wormtongue quickly pocketed the two gems, shut the box, and returned it to its original position.

Below, Saruman's voice seemed harsh, the sweetness gone. There was little time left. Wormtongue hurried over to the large black orb, but as he moved a new thought occurred to him. Saruman stood below, as vulnerable as the grey wizard. One heavy blow to the head would do him in as well. And with Saruman gone, he, Grima Wormtongue would be master of Orthanc, master of all its secrets and treasures.

He grabbed the orb and hurried to the window. The conversation was almost over. But which would he send to his doom? Saruman . . . no, Gandalf . . . Saruman . . . Gandalf . . .

Suddenly Wormtongue screamed in agony and dropped the large ball without aiming, somewhere between the two. Grima ripped open his pocket and flung the burning jewels far away from himself.

The pain was unbearable, even after the gems were gone. With tears of misery, Wormtongue looked at his scared and bloodied hands, which had only held the deadly jewels for a fraction of a second. He didn't dare examine his burnt side, his hands were horrible enough. One felt dead, as if sliced by a thousand icicles and instantly frozen by the harsh winter. He could already see the frostbite blackening his palm. The other continued to burn as if he had held a flame of the sun in his hand. The hand was no longer even red, but charred black.

Wormtongue wailed in misery and loss.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Below, Gandalf paid little attention to where the near-death palantir had fallen. Instead, his attention was drawn to what seemed to be two stars falling from Orthanc. A wail of anguish followed them through the air.

"Mithrandir..." Legolas murmured in wonder as his keen eyes beheld the strange sight.

Both he and Aragorn vaulted off toward where the stars had crashed into the water. Aragorn veered off to the right and followed a weird warm current, but Legolas remained focused on the spot where his eyes noted the blue star contacting with the foul water.

Another cry echoed through the air, this of anger and hatred, followed by strange screams and curses from the tower. Legolas hurried his search.

He neared the location of impact and was shocked to find a cool blue glow pulsating through the foul liquid. Legolas followed the light and plunged his arm into the water. After a moment's groping on the underwater ground, his fingers made contact with a smooth pebble. His fingers closed in on the object and lifted it from its resting place. At first it seemed to burn his palm like fiery ice, but now grew gradually warmer at his touch.

(FLASH!) Buried alive in a cold icy tomb. Overcome by the cold, even Legolas' light heart began to despair. With a struggle, he was the first to break the surface while the other remained entombed.

And then he saw her. That strange girl, just standing there on the edge of the deadly cliff. Her skin was paler than the snow that swirled around them; her short hair was midnight blue. Her face- sorrowful yet compassionate. And her eyes... there were no words to describe them. Even from a distance, they shown with an immeasurable depth of wisdom that even the elf failed to fathom. (FLASH!)

Legolas shook the strange feeling away. In the distance, Aragorn slowly lifted something that glowed orange among the debris. The light of both gems began to dim as their rescuers moved slowly, with wonder, back to the company. Neither noticed the heavy orb wrapped in Gandalf's cloak or the strange look in Pippin's eyes.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Their breath came in hard ragged gasps. The plain of Gorgoroth and the wasteland of Mordor stretched out before them, like an endless nightmare pierced only by the fiery Mountain of Doom.

They had made it through Udun. In the fading light of twilight, they had slipped in before the heavy gate slammed behind them. They had hugged the rock face and moved slowly in the shadows until they had reached an open road. Once they had escaped the crowded Morannon, they had marched hard and fast upon the open road, as Saturn had advised. However, after only a few hours they were overtaken by a company of orcs and forced to hide among the thickets.

But the Valar took pity upon the helpless hobbits and instilled a quarrel among the uruks. As is often the case, the quarrel ended in violence, and three orc bodies were tossed into a ditch on the side. After only an hour's march after these uruks had passed, Frodo and Sam came upon these bodies and took the opportunity to disguise themselves.

It was only the disguise that saved them at Isenmouthe. At this second gate and crossroads, chaos reigned and a couple of smaller orcs were able to slip through. But it was the second night when they reached this final gate, and all the Haradrim had long since emptied into the main plateau of Mordor. Too many times in the jostle of Isenmouthe had some orc captain or another been close to seizing one of the small orcs. Too often had the small ones brushed against larger menacing creatures who glared down suspiciously. Sam shivered in remembrance.

And now they were in the midst of the wasteland, a wasteland scattered with camps and fires, a wasteland empty of any water- clean or foul. Sam licked his dry lips, but even his saliva seemed to evaporate. Beside him, Frodo continued to breathe hard.

A cool wind blew across their faces from somewhere above. Both hobbits took this sign to heart. Though so close to the camps, the hobbits had moved slowly and near to the rocks, and a shadow seemed to cover them whenever their cloaks threatened to fail. Twice now, watchman had almost seen them, but Uranus' wind was able to distract him, kicking up dust and confusing the view.

However, all these things considered, capture was the least of Sam's worries. They had moved hard and fast ever since they had entered Mordor, and with only a few drops of water left, their energy was rapidly waning. Frodo deteriorated rapidly and now seemed to stumble blindly and hopelessly through the desert. Their disguises had long since been disguarded, but a weight still seemed to weigh down on Frodo's shoulders. Sam noted worriedly how Frodo's hand was never far from the chain around him neck...

The mountain continued to grow larger and less distant, but as much as Sam dreaded the final stage, he worried that it would never come soon enough.

Still they stumbled onward through the wasteland, protected only by their cloaks and the shadow of Saturn, while the wind of Uranus led the way and the tongues of Mount Doom licked the black sky.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

(1) Read Nilmandra's "History Lessons II: The Second Age". Her portrayal of Glorfindel is exactly as I picture him. And my own theories for why he returned to Middle-earth have become mixed with her tale, so I feel obliged to credit.

(2) "Uuner" transaltes to "Nobody".

AN: I'm sorry if there's any confusion about Time in this story. The best way to read it is to focus on each individual storyline (Frodo, Glorfindel, Gandalf/Legolas/Aragorn/etc) rather than worry on what day it's all happening. Soon they will all come together, at one point in which all Time will unite. But until then, certain crucial things must happen. All the storylines are happening around the same time, but some take longer than others (::coughFrodoplot::cough::) and days are not exactly equivalent. For the Frodo and Gandalf/Aragorn plots, assume that everything happens as it did in the movie. Due to _my_ plot, I have been forced to leave out several crucial events (Helm's Deep, more wandering in Mordor, probably Paths of Dead, etc). My apologies if this has caused any confusion.

Also, to clear up more confusion, here's a list of the status of all the Seeds as of Chapter 7:

**Seed of Ice**- Legolas' keeping (from Saruman)

**Seed of the Heart**- Aragorn's keeping (from Saruman)

**Seed of Fire**- Sauron

**Seed of the Forests**- Gandalf's keeping (from Treebeard)

**Seed of Darkness**- Sauron

**Seed of the Skies**- Sauron (from the Eagles)

**Seed of the Seas**- Glorfindel's keeping (from Cirdan)

**Seed of Time**- ?

**Seed of the Stars**- ?

And the anticipation mounts, mwhahaha. Don't ask, I can't tell. Feel free to guess if you like though. Also, if anyone would like to crack a guess at the identity of Lingaer (from the beginning of this chap), feel free! Good luck lol.

Now Review Responses:

**MidnightGodess**- lol, yes this fic is my "other type" of LotR crossover, in which I try to involve all the senshi equally rather than focusing in on one and having them born during that time. And I will NEVER write a cliched Senshi-join-the-Fellowship fic. Makes me sick, gah. As for Setsuna, I am very excited about who she will be paired with. Can't say more, sorry. Usa's pairing you might be able to guess more easily. ::wink:: Romance will be coming soon! And sorry you had to wait so long for this!

**Princess Silver Serenity**- Yay for more LotR stories! :D Thank you so much! ::is truly flattered::

**Ookami**- ::blushes:: Thank you so much! Unfortunately, Leggy is one of the few people I have a definite pairing for, planned since the beginning. He was going to be with Mako, but Ami just fit so much better in this tale. Are you sure there are not more Leg/Mako fics out there? I know there used to be tons... they suit each other so well!

**momocolady**- good guess for Pluto's location! I really need to get more Galadriel/Lorien scenes in here. We shall see if you're right...

**Loopy Lu**- eep! Yes, unfortunately Smeagol is gone for good. It's a plot twist I wanted to throw in to make it clear that this is an alternate reality... and as you will soon see and as Gandalf for told, the lack of Smeagol has drastic consequences yet to come. mwhahaha!

**EyesofPearl**- lol, I really do need to get Faramir, Eomer, and Aragorn in here more. Poo. They'll be coming, if that helps lol.

**Crzy 1**- Mina-chan in the Paths of the Dead?! Lol, that would be so much fun. Unfortunately I'm cutting out a lot of stuff that you should just assume happens (but I won't be able to write about it you want this to climax soon), and I think the Paths of the Dead is on that list. Still, it might work. We shall see.

**Black Mage of Darkness**- LOL! No Mako, but Treebeard did see things the wise way... we hope. "

**Sunshine Fia**- hey, Saturn and Uranus were in the last chap, even if they weren't new. :P Setsuna will be coming soon, and if you know a little bit about the books LotR/Silmarillion you will absolutely love where she is/who her guardian is. :D

**angelwings6117**- hehe, I decided to knock Endy out. Technically, he should be here, but I really didn't want to include him. So I didn't. :D

Thank you also to:

**datajana**

**KoKo Belle**

Thank you to everyone for reading and please review! The more response, the sooner I am likely to get the next chapter out. ;D Thank you for your patience. Ja!

-Calli-chan


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